Divas

FIVE UNDER FIVE

Five of our favourite beauty products that cost $5 or less

We all know the struggle of getting quality products for less. The term “bargain” is often associated with compromised quality and quantities but every once in a while we come across quality products at affordable prices. Here are some of our favourite “bargain” beauty products, all low in cost but definitely worth buying.

Beauty Formulas Oil Blotting Tissues

Anyone with oily skin knows the struggle that comes with blotting off excess oil using regular tissue paper- white residue and the unmistakable patches left on your face when your makeup shifts. Even dabbing some translucent powder without blotting the oil isn’t always a good idea, as you end up looking cakey. The Beauty Formulas oil blotting sheets have you covered, literally, as they remove excess oil without shifting your makeup or leaving tissue fluff all over your face. Each pack comes with 50 sheets and one sheet is enough to blot off all the shine. You can also turn over the same sheet and use it twice. Talk about being economical!

No more excuses for sleeping with your makeup on because we found a makeup remover that works like magic! If you’re a makeup lover you probably hate washing your face at the end of each day. The thought of your face and neck dripping in brown goo is enough to traumatise any woman and ordinary wet wipes are not as effective, unless if you use two or three at a time and that’s not very budget friendly now; is it? The Micellar Cleansing Wipes cost $4 and one wipe completely removes makeup. Even washing your face becomes so much easier after wiping off all your makeup. If you’re familiar with the Micellar water formula, you probably know it removes eye makeup effectively and the advantage you have with the wipes is that you don’t have to go through the whole process of dipping / dabbing cotton wool or pads into the Micellar water. With the Micellar Cleansing Wipes, your fresh face is just a wipe away.

Ever wonder why no matter how much gel you apply, your edges don’t look as good as those #edgeslaid pictures you see all over your Instagram feed? It’s probably because you don’t have this product on your dressing table. The Ecostyler Gel is one of the hair and beauty industry’s holy-grail products, with a number of natural hair bloggers and beauty gurus endorsing it.Whether you have natural hair, locks, braids, weaves or relaxed hair; the Ecostyler Gel gets your edges laid! At $5 for 235ml, you only need a pea size amount of the product for your edges. You’ll probably need more when styling your hair, but a little goes a long way with this product. It’s moist, non-flakey and doesn’t drip. If it’s good enough for Jackie Aina, it’s definitely good enough for us!

Maybelline Baby Lips

OK let’s just put it out there- chapped lips are not cute! We all love a good matte lip, but often matte lipsticks leave your lips looking and feeling dry. The Maybelline Baby Lips chap-stick will transform your lip care routine in just a matter of days. If you suffer from severe dry lips, this is the product for you. At $5, the Maybelline Baby Lips chap-stick comes with a 1 week lip rejuvenation promise, and it actually delivers! Exfoliating daily before applying your lipstick is a tedious task, and more often than not we skip this step, which usually results in your lips appearing flakey. This product, however, helps keep your lips stay moisturised longer. You can also use it right before applying your matte lipstick as it doesn’t interfere with the matte formula. We all know the struggle of having to blot off moisturiser before applying matte lipstick then later regret it once your lips start feeling tight and dry again. Buy the Maybelline Baby Lips chapstick for visibly soft, smooth lips. Now who wouldn’t want that? *wink*

Everyone knows it’s all about the glow! Unfortunately, finding a highlighter that doesn’t leave chalky streaks is quite a mission for most women of colour, that’s why we recommend the Technic Bronzing Highlighter. It’s literally compact gold! With tiny gold specs, this highlighter will have you glowing like a disco ball. It costs $5, and is highly pigmented. What more can a girl want? One swatch goes a long way and you can wear it for an everyday “natural” glow, or intensify it for a more dramatic look. This highlighter will definitely have you blinding those haters.

*Bonus product: W7 Matte Fixer

At $6, the W7 Matte Fixer setting spray is slightly over the $5 mark but it’s a product worth mentioning. It comes in an 18 ml bottle and all you need is a couple of spritz and you’re set for the day. It leaves your skin with a soft, dewy finish upon application, then it mattifies after a few minutes. It helps your makeup last longer and if you have oily skin this is the product for you as you don’t have to touch up your makeup during the day.